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America Inspired

Obama tells Latinos 'punish Republican enemies' - draws GOP fire

 Earlier this week, in a moment of candor, President Barack Obama, speaking on Univision, advised Latino voters to punish their Republican Enemies by voting Democrat. Obama's advice was sound, Latinos should vote against their political enemies in the GOP.

However, Monday, the always courteous and thoughtful President Obama walked back the remark, claiming the term "enemies" was a bit harsh, and perhaps "opponents" would have been a more suitable choice of words.

President Obama's diplomatic grace is without question. His concession over this small matter of semantics is symbolic of the good will and human decency exuding from President Obama. Nevertheless, some Republicans are attempting to make political hay out of what would be otherwise a non-story.

Obama's original comments came during an interview with Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo, a Hispanic radio personality. Piolin questioned how Obama could ask Latinos for their vote when many don't believe he's worked hard to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Obama responded: "If Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, 'We're gonna punish our enemies and we're gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us,' if they don't see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it's gonna be harder."

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Obama was simply advising Latinos to vote their interests, and oppose Republican nativism and Tea Party racism.  Leave it to the right wing to to twist President Obama's words into an expression of hatred for fellow Americans. 

By

Portland Progressive Examiner

Gypsy scholar and freelance writer, Michael is a secular humanist with a passion for politics and protecting the civil liberties of those on the...

Comments

  • B-52RN 1 year ago
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    Mr. Obama is the most devisive president we ever had the misfortune to get stuck with. Telling the hispanics to vote against their "enemies" is a fine example of what that bigot is all about.
    Just like most of the liberals he will always work to keep the concept of racism alive and well in the US of A. Racism is a tremendous source of power for the left wing, without it they wouldn't have much of anything else to do.

  • Ward Cleaver 1 year ago
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    Considering the fact that Obama always speaks with the aid of at least one teleprompter his comment about voting to punish their enemies is exactly what he meant to say. When his administration finally figured out it was a dumb thing to say, they came up with something different in an attempt to do some damage control. That has nothing to do with diplomatic grace, it just means he doesn't have to guts to stick with his original remarks

  • Anonymous 1 year ago
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    How dare Obama suggest ppl who have attacked him w/ racism, islamophobia, & called him "worse than al queda" are the enemy! Racism is Alive is America, but the FACT IS that the right wing crazies are the cause of it.

  • zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 1 year ago
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    Spoken like a true anti-white raycissssst.

  • Questionman 1 year ago
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    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, you're a jjjjjjjjjjjjjaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccckkkkkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssss!!!this person is right, and you can't deal with the fact that you righties are the party of racists.

  • Pedro 1 year ago
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    Tu madre questionman.

  • Hispanic American 1 year ago
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    And what about racist like Reverend Jessie Lee Peterson, Mason Weaver, and Ted Hays that are regular speakers, or travel with the tea party

  • Just Sayin' 1 year ago
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    Isn't that racist to tell Latrinos to punish Republicans. Hell a lot of Cubans vote Republican? Is Obama that racist and stupid?

  • Questionman 1 year ago
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    One of the most despicable leaders of this "Tea Party movement" was Mark Williams, who headed the Tea Party Express.

    Williams wrote a "letter" on behalf of Black people to Abraham Lincoln and posted it online, and in part read: "We Coloreds have taken a vote and decided that we don't cotton to that whole emancipation thing. Freedom means having to work for real, think for ourselves, and take consequences along with the rewards. That is just far too much to ask of us Colored People and we demand that it stop!"

    but you people support him right? because he hates blacks!

  • Obama is a TRAITOR 1 year ago
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    Hey idiot! Some obscure man is no comparison tot he PRESIDENT of the US!

    Get some perspective you ignorant fool

  • Obama is a TRAITOR 1 year ago
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    NEVER NEVER NEVER in American history has any US President ever called the American people "the enemy" in need of being "punished".

    If I were in charge he would be charged with being a traitor and tried and executed.

    There is no place in our government for a President who thinks the American people are the enemy or a President who stands with the president of the country that is invading us and stands AGAINST the American people to sue one if the united states instead of HELPING them fix their problem.

  • Anonomouse 1 year ago
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    Mikey! Why have you not written about your town allowing NON-CITIZENS to vote in local elections?

    Do you favor NON-CITIZENS voting fro your elected officials?

  • Anonomouse 1 year ago
    Report Abuse

    Mikey! No story on the religious ethnic cleansing in Iraq by the Islamists?

  • Somewhat Anonymous 1 year ago
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    Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell said that the "heart and soul" of the Democrat party is "blacks, Latinos, gays and lesbians".

    Heart and soul of the party.

  • Zo da man 1 year ago
    Report Abuse

    Nobody finds the hypocrisy better than Zo.

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=evwKfxNG1pY&feature=player_embedded

  • Tea is on me tonight 1 year ago
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    Mikey, my sincere condolences. Your man Alan Grayson in Florida has lost by a huge margin. HUGE!

    His death will be celebrated by those with any semblance of sanity.

    RIP Alan!

  • Tea is on me tonight 1 year ago
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    Rand Paul also won by a huge margin.

    We be stompin heads tnite

  • Tea is on me tonight 1 year ago
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    Mikey!!! You there tonight?

    Let me be the first to invite you to join us for fiscal sanity for the next 2 years at least.

    Screw the social issues if your side promices to forget them too for at least 2 years.
    Lets join to get the 3 letter word J O B S back.
    Time to rebuild.

    It's the ECONOMY stupid!

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